Kalam polo is yet another delicious tomato-based Persian rice similar to estamboli polo. Except instead of green beans, cabbage is used in this rice and the seasoning consists of turmeric and rice seasoning advieh. Advieh is a spice blend made of cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, ginger, cloves and rose bud petals. It can be found in Persian or specialty stores.

Heat oil in a deep nonstick pan over medium high heat. Add chopped onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 to 7 minutes or until onion is slightly golden. Add meat, cook for 10 minutes or until juices are gone and meat is slightly browned. Stir in tomato paste, salt, pepper, turmeric and rice seasoning advieh. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes to blend the flavors. Add 2½ cups water. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium low, cover and cook for about 50 minutes.

While the meat is cooking, remove the outer layers of cabbage. Place on a cutting board, cut in half. Remove the core; cut into ½-inch thick slices. Cut cabbage slices into 1- inch pieces. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large frying pan, add chopped cabbage; cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Take off heat.

Add saffron and cabbage to the meat. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until meat is fork tender. Taste and adjust seasoning. The meat sauce cooks down to about ½ cup to ¾ cup. If there is too much sauce, cook for few minutes longer without the lid to reduce the sauce.

Rice:

Bring 10 cups of water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil in a large nonstick pot. Add rice; stir and return back to a boil. Lower heat to medium; cook for about 6 to 7 minutes or until rice rises to the top. Drain in a fine mesh colander.

Assembly:

Add 2 tablespoons oil to the same pot. Add a layer of rice to the pan followed by a layer of meat mixture. Continue to alternate the layers until all the ingredients are used including the meat sauce. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke several holes in the rice, all the way to the bottom of the pot to allow steam to escape. Place a clean dishtowel or 2 layers of paper towel over the pot and cover firmly with a lid to absorb the steam. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Pour butter and remaining oil (2 tablespoons) over the rice. Lower heat to medium low, cook for 50 minutes.

To serve, gently spoon the rice mixture onto a serving plate lightly mixing the ingredients. The bottom of the rice develops a crisp crust that you can serve on a separate plate.

Optional: Dissolve a pinch of saffron in 1 tablespoon hot water. Mix in 1 cup of cooked rice and use for garnish.

Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 to 7 minutes or until onion is slightly golden.

Add the meat.

Cook for 10 minutes or until juices are gone and meat is slightly browned.

Stir in tomato paste, salt, pepper, turmeric and advieh.

Cook for 2 to 3 minutes to blend the flavors. Add 2½ cups water.

Bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium low, cover and cook for about 50 minutes.

Remove the outer layers of cabbage. Place on a cutting board, cut in half. Remove the core.

Cut into ½-inch thick slices.

Cut slices into 1- inch pieces.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large frying pan, add chopped cabbage.

Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Take off heat.

Add saffron and cabbage to the meat.

Cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until meat is fork tender. Taste and adjust seasoning.

The meat sauce cooks down to about ½ cup to ¾ cup. If there is too much sauce, cook for few minutes without the lid to reduce the sauce.

Bring 10 cups of water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil in a large nonstick pot.

Add rice; stir and return back to a boil.

Lower heat to medium; cook for about 6 to 7 minutes or until rice rises to the top.

Drain in a fine mesh colander.

Add 2 tablespoons oil to the same pot. Add a layer of rice to the pan followed by a layer of meat mixture.

Continue to alternate the layers until all the ingredients are used including the meat sauce.

Place a clean dishtowel or 2 layers of paper towel over the pot and cover firmly with a lid to absorb the steam. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Pour butter and remaining oil (2 tablespoons) over the rice. Lower heat to medium low, cook for 50 minutes.

Heat oil in a deep nonstick pan over medium high heat. Add chopped onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 to 7 minutes or until onion is slightly golden. Add meat, cook for 10 minutes or until juices are gone and meat is slightly browned. Stir in tomato paste, salt, pepper, turmeric and advieh. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes to blend the flavors. Add 2½ cups water. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium low, cover and cook for about 50 minutes.

While the meat is cooking, remove the outer layers of cabbage. Place on a cutting board, cut in half. Remove the core; cut into ½-inch thick slices. Cut cabbage slices into 1- inch pieces. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large frying pan, add chopped cabbage; cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Take off heat.

Add saffron and cabbage to the meat. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until meat is fork tender. Taste and adjust seasoning. The meat sauce cooks down to about ½ cup to ¾ cup. If there is too much sauce, cook for few minutes longer without the lid to reduce the sauce.

Rice

Bring 10 cups of water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil in a large nonstick pot. Add rice; stir and return back to a boil. Lower heat to medium; cook for about 6 to 7 minutes or until rice rises to the top. Drain in a fine mesh colander.

Assembly

Add 2 tablespoons oil to the same pot. Add a layer of rice to the pan followed by a layer of meat mixture. Continue to alternate the layers until all the ingredients are used including the meat sauce. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke several holes in the rice, all the way to the bottom of the pot to allow steam to escape. Place a clean dishtowel or 2 layers of paper towel over the pot and cover firmly with a lid to absorb the steam. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Pour butter and remaining oil (2 tablespoons) over the rice. Lower heat to medium low, cook for 50 minutes.

To serve, gently spoon the rice mixture onto a serving plate lightly mixing the ingredients. The bottom of the rice develops a crisp crust that you can serve on a separate plate.

Optional: Dissolve a pinch of saffron in 1 tablespoon hot water. Mix in 1 cup of cooked rice and use for garnish.

Zereshk polo, barberry rice, is one of the easiest Persian dishes to make especially if you own a Persian rice cooker. All you do is cook your rice and add sweetened zereshk to it, it’s that easy. If you own a rice cooker, follow my recipe instructions for polo in rice cooker. Otherwise, use the recipe below.

Zereshk is a tart and real tiny red berry that is used in a lot of Persian dishes from rice and frittata to stews. These tiny berries add a beautiful pop of red color to this dish along with a burst of tartness and a touch of sweetness. If you want to experience the unique mouthwatering taste of this authentic dish, make sure to use saffron and zereshk, no substitutes here!

I like adding enough sugar to the zereshk to balance its tartness. Add less sugar for a more sour taste and more sugar if you prefer a sweeter taste. You can either top your rice with zereshk like I did in this recipe or mix in your zereshk with the rice. Either way, your zereshk polo will be yummy!

INSTRUCTIONS

To wash the rice, pour the rice into a bowl and cover with cold water. Gently swish the rice around with your hand and then drain the water. Repeat until the water is clear. Strain the rice and set aside.

Rinsing washes off loose starch, making the rice less sticky.

Bring 10 cups water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil in a 5-quart nonstick pot. Add rice and cook over medium heat for about 6 to 8 minutes or until rice rises to the top. Drain in a mesh colander.

Heat 4 tablespoons oil in the same pot used to cook the rice. Pour in the rice. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the rice starts to steam.

Add the remaining oil and melted butter on top of the rice and reduce heat to low. Place a clean dishtowel or 2 layers of paper towel over the pot, folding the corners to keep away from the heat source. Cover the pot firmly with a lid and cook for 50 minutes.

The dishtowel is used to keep the steam from escaping and to absorb the water that condenses on the inside of the lid, preventing it from falling back into the pot. This results in a drier and fluffier rice.

To make the topping for rice, place butter, zereshk and sugar in a skillet over medium-low heat. Heat just long enough for butter and sugar to melt. Remove from heat.

Zereshk (barberries) are available in Persian and Middle Eastern stores.

Soak zereshk in water for 10 to 20 minutes. Remove stems and check for tiny stones.

Transfer zereshk to a strainer using a slotted spoon.

Dirt from zereshk settles to the bottom of the bowl. It’s easier to place the strainer with zereshk over a bowl of water to soak then just lift it out leaving the dirt behind.

Pour the rice into a bowl; cover with cold water. Swish the rice around gently with your hand; drain and repeat until the water is clear. Rinsing washes off loose starch, making the rice less sticky. Strain the rice.

Bring 10 cups water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil in a 5-quart nonstick pot. Add rice.

Cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes or until rice rises to the top.

Boil the rice until ‘al dente’, the outer layer is soft but the inner layer is firm to the bite.

Drain in a mesh colander.

Heat 4 tablespoons oil in the same pot used to cook the rice. Pour in the rice. Cover; cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the rice starts to steam.

Add the remaining oil and melted butter on top of the rice. Reduce heat to low. Cover the pot firmly with a lid; cook for 50 minutes.

Place butter, zereshk and sugar in a skillet over medium low heat.

Heat just long enough for butter and sugar to melt. Remove from heat.

Dissolve ¼ teaspoon saffron in 1 tablespoon hot water in a small bowl.

Add 2 cups cooked rice, gently mix to combine.

To plate the rice, gently scoop it out onto a serving platter, top with saffron rice.

Add zereshk on top. You can also mix the zereshk with the rice for plating.

To wash the rice, pour the rice into a bowl and cover with cold water. Gently swish the rice around with your hand and then drain the water. Repeat until the water is clear. Strain the rice and set aside.

Rinsing washes off loose starch, making the rice less sticky.

Bring 10 cups water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil in a 5-quart nonstick pot. Add rice and cook over medium heat for about 6 to 8 minutes or until rice rises to the top. Drain in a mesh colander.

Heat 4 tablespoons oil in the same pot used to cook the rice. Pour in the rice. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the rice starts to steam.

Add the remaining oil and melted butter on top of the rice and reduce heat to low. Place a clean dishtowel or 2 layers of paper towel over the pot, folding the corners to keep away from the heat source. Cover the pot firmly with a lid and cook for 50 minutes.

The dishtowel is used to keep the steam from escaping and to absorb the water that condenses on the inside of the lid, preventing it from falling back into the pot. This results in a drier and fluffier rice.

To make the topping for rice, place butter, zereshk and sugar in a skillet over medium-low heat. Heat just long enough for butter and sugar to melt. Remove from heat.

Sabzi polo is a highly fragrant Persian rice scented with fresh parsley, cilantro, dill, green onions and fenugreek along with fresh garlic. Although, this rice is usually served with fish during Persian New Year, it can be eaten with canned tuna, chicken or beef.

Wash the herbs, drain and chop them. Peel and chop the garlic, add to the herbs.

Bring water and salt to a boil in a 5-quart nonstick pot. Add rice, stir and return back to a boil. Lower heat to medium. Cook for about 6 to 8 minutes or until rice rises to the top. Add chopped herbs and garlic, gently stir to combine. Drain in a mesh colander.

Heat 4 tablespoons oil in the same pot used to cook the rice. Pour rice mixture into the pot. Cover, cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the rice starts to steam.

Add the remaining oil and melted butter on top of the rice. Reduce heat to low. Place a clean dishtowel or 2 layers of paper towel over the pot, folding corners to keep away from the heat source. Cover the pot firmly with a lid, cook for 50 minutes.

Serve sabzi polo (herb rice) either by plating it on a serving platter or unmolding it. To plate the rice, gently scoop it out onto a serving platter with a wide spatula, mounding it into the shape of a pyramid. Loosen the tahdigh (crispy crust) from the bottom of the pan, lay them over the rice or arrange them on a separate plate.

If the tahdigh is hard to remove, lower the bottom of the pot into a sink filled with few inches of cold water for few minutes to help release the crust or place the pot on a wet towel.

To unmold the rice, place a round serving platter upside down on top of the pot. Using pot holders firmly grab the serving platter and the pot flipping them over together, as you would invert a cake pan. This will keep the tahdigh intact. Dissolve a pinch of saffron in 1 tablespoon hot water, mix with 1 cup of sabzi polo. Use for garnish.

Wash the herbs, drain and chop them. Peel and chop the garlic, add to the herbs.

Bring water and salt to a boil in a 5-quart nonstick pot. Add rice; stir and return back to a boil. Lower heat to medium; cook for about 6 to 8 minutes or until rice rises to the top. Add chopped herbs and garlic; gently stir to combine. Drain in a mesh colander.

Heat 4 tablespoons oil to the same pot used to cook the rice. Pour rice mixture into the pot. Cover; cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the rice starts to steam.

Add the remaining oil and melted butter on top of the rice. Reduce heat to low. Place a clean dishtowel or 2 layers of paper towel over the pot, folding corners to keep away from the heat source. Cover the pot firmly with a lid; cook for 50 minutes.

Serve sabzi polo (herb rice) either by placing it on a serving platter or unmolding it. To plate the rice, gently scoop it out onto a serving platter with a wide spatula, mounding it into the shape of a pyramid. Loosen the tadigh (crispy crust) from the bottom of the pan; lay them over the rice or arrange them on a separate plate.

To unmold the rice, place a round serving platter upside down on top of the pot. Using pot holders firmly grab the serving platter and the pot flipping them over together, as you would invert a cake pan. This will keep the tadigh intact. Dissolve a pinch of saffron in 1 tablespoon hot water, mix with 1 cup of sabzi polo. Use for garnish.

Notes

If the tahdigh is hard to remove, lower the bottom of the pot into a sink filled with few inches of cold water for few minutes to help release the crust or place the pot on a wet towel.

Cooking polo, Persian rice, is a lot like cooking pasta with an extra step at the end. Rice is cooked in salted boiling water for up to 8 minutes until it’s al dente meaning the outer part is soft but the inner part is still firm. At this point, the rice is strained and put back into the same pot and simmered until fully cooked. Before adding the rice back in, oil is added to the bottom of the pot to create tahdig, a golden and crispy crust loved by everyone. Tahdig is one of the most popular appetizers in Persian restaurants and it’s usually topped with up to three different Persian stews khorshts, YUM. Besides making plain rice tahdig which in itself is delicious, the bottom of the pot can be covered with a mixture of yogurt and saffron or slices of potatoes, thin bread or even onions.

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Pour the rice into a bowl and cover with cold water. Swish the rice around gently with your hand, drain and repeat until the water is clear. Strain the rice.

Rinsing washes off loose starch, making the rice less sticky.

Bring 10 cups water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil in a 5-quart nonstick pot. Add rice, stir and return back to a boil. Lower heat to medium and cook for about 8 minutes or until rice rises to the top. Drain in a mesh colander.

To make tahdigh, the golden crunchy rice crust, dissolve a pinch of saffron in 1 tablespoon hot water in a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons yogurt, whisk to combine. Heat 4 tablespoons oil in the same pot used to cook the rice. Pour in the yogurt and saffron mixture followed by the rice. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until rice starts to steam.

Add the remaining oil and melted butter on top of the rice. Reduce heat to low. Cover pot with a clean dishtowel or 2 layers of paper towel and a lid. Fold edges of towel up over lid to keep away from the heat source. Cook over moderately low heat until tender and a crust forms on bottom, 50 minutes.

The dishtowel is used to keep the steam from escaping and to absorb the water that condenses on the inside of the lid, preventing it from falling back into the pot. This results in drier and fluffier rice.

When polo is cooked, remove the pot from the heat and let polo rest, undisturbed with the lid on, for at least 5 minutes.

When polo has a chance to rest, it will become more uniform in texture, with the bottom layers as fluffy as the top. Resting also helps to free the crust from the bottom of the pot. Another way of loosening tahdig is to dip the bottom of the pot in a large bowl of cold water for few minutes to release it.

Plate polo either by spooning it onto a serving platter or unmolding it.

If spooning polo, gently scoop it out onto a serving platter with a wide spatula, mounding it into the shape of a pyramid. Loosen tahdigh pieces from the bottom of the pot and lay them over polo or arrange them on a separate plate.

Unmolding works best when using a non-stick pot. To unmold polo, place a round serving platter upside down on top of the pot. Using pot holders firmly grab the serving platter and the pot flipping them over together, as you would invert a cake pan. This will keep the tahdigh intact.

A perfectly cooked polo has distinct and tender grains, not mushy, and is light and fluffy.

Polo and chelo are terms used interchangeably to describe rice that is parboiled then steamed. Plain rice served with stew or kabab is called chelo (chelo kabab) and rice mixed with other ingredients is called polo (sabzi polo).

Pour the rice into a bowl; cover with cold water. Swish the rice around gently with your hand; drain and repeat until the water is clear. Rinsing washes off loose starch, making the rice less sticky. Strain the rice.

Soaking the rice is believed to shorten the cooking time and to allow for maximum expansion of long-grain rice, especially basmati. It also makes the grains a little less brittle so they’re less likely to break during cooking. Soak the rice by covering it with cold water by 1 to 2 inches for at least 30 minutes.

Bring 10 cups water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil in a 5-quart nonstick pot. Add rice.

Cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes or until rice rises to the top.

Boil the rice until ‘al dente’, the outer layer is soft but the inner layer is firm to the bite.

Drain in a mesh colander.

Dissolve a pinch of saffron in 1 tablespoon hot water in a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons yogurt.

Whisk to combine.

Heat 4 tablespoons oil in the same pot used to cook the rice. Pour in the yogurt and saffron mixture.

Add the rice.

Heat 4 tablespoons oil in the same pot used to cook the rice. Pour in the rice. Cover; cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the rice starts to steam.

Cover; cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the rice starts to steam.

Add the remaining oil and melted butter on top of the rice. Reduce heat to low. Cover the pot firmly with a lid; cook for 50 minutes.

The dishtowel is used to keep the steam from escaping and to absorb the water that condenses on the inside of the lid, preventing it from falling back into the pot. This results in drier and fluffier rice.

Remove the pot from the heat and let the rice rest, undisturbed with the lid on, for at least 5 minutes. This results in a uniform texture, with the bottom layers as fluffy as the top, and also helps to free the crust from the bottom of the pan.

To unmold the rice, place a round serving platter upside down on top of the pot. Using pot holders firmly grab the serving platter and the pot flipping them over together, as you would invert a cake pan. This will keep the tadigh intact.

Pour the rice into a bowl; cover with cold water. Swish the rice around gently with your hand; drain and repeat until the water is clear. Rinsing washes off loose starch, making the rice less sticky. Strain the rice.

Bring 10 cups water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil in a 5-quart nonstick pot. Add rice; stir and return back to a boil. Lower heat to medium; cook for about 8 minutes or until rice rises to the top. Drain in a mesh colander.

To make tahdigh, a golden crispy crust, dissolve a pinch of saffron in 1 tablespoon hot water in a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons yogurt, whisk to combine. Heat 4 tablespoons oil in the same pot used to cook the rice. Pour in the yogurt and saffron mixture followed by the rice. Cover; cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the rice starts to steam.

Add the remaining oil and melted butter on top of the rice. Reduce heat to low. Place a clean dishtowel or 2 layers of paper towel over the pot, folding the corners to keep away from the heat source. Cover the pot firmly with a lid; cook for 50 minutes. The dishtowel is used to keep the steam from escaping and to absorb the water that condenses on the inside of the lid, preventing it from falling back into the pot. This results in drier and fluffier rice.

When rice is cooked, remove the pot from the heat and let the rice rest, undisturbed with the lid on, for at least 5 minutes. This results in a uniform texture, with the bottom layers as fluffy as the top, and also helps to free the crust from the bottom of the pan.

Serve the rice either by placing it on a serving platter or unmolding it. To plate the rice, gently scoop it out onto a serving platter with a wide spatula, mounding it into the shape of a pyramid. Loosen the tahdigh (crispy crust) from the bottom of the pan; lay them over the rice or arrange them on a separate plate. If the tahdigh is hard to remove, lower the bottom of the pot into a sink of cold water for few minutes to help release the crust.

To unmold the rice, place a round serving platter upside down on top of the pot. Using pot holders firmly grab the serving platter and the pot flipping them over together, as you would invert a cake pan. This will keep the tahdigh intact.

Notes

A perfectly cooked rice has distinct and tender grains, not mushy, and is light and fluffy.

Persian macaroni which consists of ground beef and spaghetti is prepared pretty much the same way Persian layered rice estamboli with ground beef is. You cook the ground beef in sauteed onions and garlic and add tomato paste, green peas (optional), herbs and seasoning. You then cook the pasta and layer it with ground beef mixture and let them steam together until a beautiful crispy and golden crust called tahdig forms at the bottom of the pot. The tahdig in this dish is perfectly seasoned with all the flavors from the delicious sauce.

Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add onions and garlic; cook for about 5 minutes. Add ground beef, tomato paste, salt, pepper and turmeric; cook for 5 minutes. Stir in oregano; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until meat is slightly browned. Stir in saffron and green peas, remove from heat. Fresh or frozen peas (1½ cups) can be substituted for canned peas and 1½ teaspoons fresh chopped oregano can be substituted for dry oregano. To add more moisture to the pasta, add about ½ cup hot water to the meat and simmer it for up to 10 minutes while the pasta is cooking (optional).

Bring 6 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil in a large nonstick pot. Add pasta to the boiling water, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking. Cook for 8 minutes or until the pasta is “al dente”, firm but not hard. Drain in a colander.

Add 4 tablespoons oil to the same pot used to cook the pasta. Layer pasta and meat in the pot, alternating layers until all the ingredients are used. Place a clean dish towel or 2 layers of paper towel over the pot, folding the corners to keep away from the heat source. Cover the pot firmly with a lid; cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until it starts steaming. Lower heat to low, cook for 30 minutes. For potato crust, place ½-inch thick slices of potato on the bottom of the pot.

To unmold the pasta, place a round serving platter upside down on top of the pot. Using pot holders firmly grab the serving platter and the pot flipping them over together, as you would invert a cake pan. This will keep the tadigh intact.

Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add onions and garlic.

Cook for about 5 minutes.

Add ground beef, tomato paste, salt, pepper and turmeric.

Cook for 5 minutes.

Stir in oregano; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until meat is slightly browned.

Stir in saffron and green peas, remove from heat.

Bring 6 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil in a large nonstick pot. Add pasta to the boiling water, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking.

Cook for 8 minutes or until the pasta is “al dente”, firm but not hard.

Drain in a colander.

Add 4 tablespoons oil to the same pot used to cook the pasta. Layer pasta and meat in the pot.

Alternate layers until all the ingredients are used.

Place a clean dish towel or 2 layers of paper towel over the pot, folding the corners to keep away from the heat source. Cover the pot firmly with a lid; cook over medium heat for 10 minutes until it starts steaming.

For potato crust, place ½-inch thick slices of potato on the bottom of the pot.

Lower heat to low, cook for 30 minutes.

Potato tadigh (crust)

To unmold the pasta, place a round serving platter upside down on top of the pot. Using pot holders firmly grab the serving platter and the pot flipping them over together, as you would invert a cake pan. This will keep the tadigh intact.

Measure rice with a regular measuring cup. The cup packaged with the rice cooker is different size than a standard U.S. measuring cup. Use a Persian rice cooker which is designed to cook light and fluffy rice with tadig (crispy crust).

Pour the rice into a bowl; cover with cold water. Swish the rice around gently with your hand; drain and repeat until the water is clear. Rinsing washes off loose starch, making the rice less sticky. Strain the rice thoroughly to get rid of the excess water.

Combine all the ingredients in the pot of the rice cooker. Cover the pot; plug the rice cooker in. Turn the machine on and start the cooking cycle following the manufacturer’s timing.

When rice is ready, unplug the rice cooker. Lift the pot out; remove the lid. To unmold the rice, place a round serving platter on top of the pot. Using pot holders firmly grab the serving platter and the pot flipping them over together, as you would invert a cake pan.

Experiment with the water to rice ratio to obtain the desired texture. More water results in softer and stickier rice; less water results in firmer more separate grains.

Polo (Rice) in Rice Cooker

Pour the rice into a bowl; cover with cold water. Swish the rice around gently with your hand.

Drain and repeat until the water is clear.

Strain the rice thoroughly to get rid of the excess water.

Combine all the ingredients in the pot of the rice cooker. Cover the pot; plug the rice cooker in, turn it on.

Pour the rice into a bowl; cover with cold water. Swish the rice around gently with your hand; drain and repeat until the water is clear. Rinsing washes off loose starch, making the rice less sticky. Strain the rice thoroughly to get rid of the excess water.

Bring 5½ cups water to a boil, covered, in a 5-quart nonstick pot over high heat. Pour in the rice, salt, oil and butter; stir, bring the water back to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Cook, uncovered, for about 15 to 18 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed and tiny small holes develop on the surface of the rice. Do not stir the rice at this stage, as the rice grains are fragile and can break easily.

Reduce heat to low. Place a clean dishtowel or 2 layers of paper towel over the pot, folding the corners to keep away from the heat source. Cover the pot firmly with a lid; cook for 40 to 50 minutes. The dishtowel is used to keep the steam from escaping and to absorb the water that condenses on the inside of the lid, preventing it from falling back into the pot. This results in drier and fluffier rice.

Remove the pot from the heat and let the rice rest, undisturbed with the lid on, for at least 5 minutes. This results in a uniform texture, with the bottom layers as fluffy as the top, and also helps to free the crust from the bottom of the pan.

Serve the rice either by placing it on a serving platter or unmolding it. To plate the rice, gently scoop it out onto a serving platter with a wide spatula, mounding it into the shape of a pyramid. Loosen the tadigh (crispy crust) from the bottom of the pan; lay them over the rice or arrange them on a separate plate. If the tadigh is hard to remove, lower the bottom of the pot into a sink of cold water for few minutes to help release the crust.

To unmold the rice, place a round serving platter upside down on top of the pot. Using pot holders firmly grab the serving platter and the pot flipping them over together, as you would invert a cake pan. This will keep the tadigh intact.

Perfectly cooked rice has distinct and tender grains, not mushy, and is light and fluffy. The water to rice ratio can be altered to obtain the required rice texture. If the rice is overcooked (mushy), use less water next time; if undercooked (hard), use more water.

Kateh (Steamed Rice)

Pour the rice into a bowl; cover with cold water. Swish the rice around gently with your hand.

Drain and repeat until the water is clear.

Strain the rice thoroughly as the excess water can make the rice mushy.

Bring 5½ cups water to a boil, covered, in a 5-quart nonstick pot over high heat.

Pour in the rice, salt, oil and butter; stir, bring the water back to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low.

Cook, uncovered, for about 15 to 18 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed and tiny small holes develop on the surface of the rice.

Reduce heat to low. Place a clean dishtowel or 2 layers of paper towel over the pot. Cover the pot firmly with a lid; cook for 50 minutes.

Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in the same pot used to cook the rice. Add saffron and rice mixture, covering the bottom of the pan evenly, followed by a layer of plain rice. Arrange chicken pieces over the rice, top with the remaining rice. Pour the remaining chicken juice, saffron and yogurt mixture over the rice. Cover, cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.

Place a clean dish towel or 2 layers of paper towel over the pot and cover firmly with a lid to absorb the steam. Lower heat to medium low, cook for 50 minutes. Half way through cooking, add 2 tablespoons butter to the top.

To unmold the rice, place a round serving platter on top of the pot. Using pot holders firmly grab the serving platter and the pot flipping them over together.

Tahchin Morgh (Chicken Tahchin)

Place chicken thighs, 1 cup water, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and 1 whole peeled onion in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium low; cover, cook for 40 to 50 minutes or until chicken is fork tender.

Adas polo (lentil rice) is made of delicious and aromatic basmati rice layered with lentils and raisins. Any time you mix legumes with grains, you create a complete protein as in this dish, making it a great vegan and vegetarian dish. The amount of raisins can be adjusted to your liking and dates can be substituted for raisins. To make a vegetarian version, simply omit the meat and continue with the recipe.

For lentils: Place the cleaned and washed lentils in a medium size pot. Add 6 cups of water, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cook for about 20 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Drain and set aside.
For Raisins: Heat butter and raisins in a medium size skillet over low heat until the butter is melted. Take off heat and set aside.

For meat: While the lentils are cooking, heat 4 tablespoons oil in a medium size pan over medium high heat. Add chopped onions and cook for about 5 minutes. Add meat, salt, pepper and turmeric. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add 2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook over medium low heat for 1 hour or until the meat is fork tender.

For rice: Bring 10 cups of water and 1½ tablespoons salt to a boil in a 6-quart nonstick pot. Add the rice, bring back to a boil. Cook for about 8 minutes over medium heat or until the rice rises to the top. Drain in a mesh colander.

Assembly: Add 4 tablespoons oil to the same pot used to cook the rice. Layer rice, lentils, raisins and meat. Continue to alternate the layers until all the ingredients are used. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke several holes in the rice, all the way to the bottom of the pot to allow steam to escape. Cover, cook on medium heat for 10 minutes.

Dissolve saffron in ¼ cup hot water, mix with ¼ cup oil (4 tablespoons), pour over the rice. Place a clean dishtowel or 2 layers of paper towel over the pot and cover firmly with a lid to absorb the steam. Lower heat to medium low, cook for 50 minutes.
To serve, gently spoon the rice mixture onto a serving plate lightly mixing the ingredients. The bottom of the rice develops a crisp crust that you can serve on a separate plate.

This rice can also be prepared with chicken. For vegetarian version omit meat.

Adas Polo

Place the cleaned and washed lentils in a medium size pot. Add 6 cups of water, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cook for about 15 minutes or until the lentils are tender.

Drain and set aside.

Heat butter and raisins in a medium size skillet over low heat until the butter is melted.

Clean herbs by cutting off the stems, for green onions cut the root ends. Wash, strain and finely chop all the herbs, place in a bowl. Peel and chop garlic cloves, add to the bowl.

Measure rice with a regular measuring cup. Rinse and drain in a mesh strainer. The cup packaged with the Persian rice cooker is smaller than standard U.S. measuring cup. If you don’t have a rice cooker, use kateh method.

Combine all the ingredients except saffron in the rice cooker. Cover the rice cooker and plug it in. Turn the machine on and start the cooking cycle following the manufacturer’s timing. Five minutes into cooking, gently stir the ingredients with a wooden spoon to combine them.

When rice is ready, unplug the rice cooker. Dissolve saffron in 2 tablespoons hot water and pour over the rice. Place a round serving platter on top of the rice cooker. Using pot holders, firmly grab the serving platter and the pot flipping them over together.